Starting a beauty business is a huge life-changing commitment, but thanks to digital nomad visas, brand owners like you no longer have to put your traveling dreams on hold!

However, it’s not as easy as filling out a short form and packing your bags. It’s a big move that requires thorough research, real planning, and careful consideration to get right.

Not sure where to start?

Innacos is here to help!

Our in-depth guide below outlines a step by step process for successfully starting your beauty business under a digital nomad visa.

We discuss potential country options, how you can level up your business to comply with all the requirements, and the important organizational adjustments you need to make to ensure your business runs smoothly remotely from abroad.

What Is A Digital Nomad Visa?

As explained by Investopedia, a digital nomad visa allows individuals to live in a foreign country for a set period while working remotely for a non-local business.

Over 40 different countries offer some form of digital nomad visa, but it’s important to remember that the rules, requirements, and restrictions vary from region to region.

The application process is generally straightforward, however, you will need to meet all of the work/income requirements and submit all the relevant paperwork to qualify in each case.

Document requirements may include:

Passports
Proof of income
Business registration documents
Bank account statements
Birth certificates
Marriage certificates

Although it’s possible to run a beauty brand under a digital nomad visa, some visas may not accommodate your specific type of beauty business.

How Your Beauty Business Can Qualify For A Digital Nomad Visa

It’s easy to get caught up in the idea of moving abroad for a change of scenery, a better climate, or more travel opportunities.

However, choosing the right country is about more than just where you would like to live. To make it work, you need to ensure your beauty business qualifies under the digital nomad visa.

Different countries have different rules. If you have your heart set on one particular county’s digital nomad visa, you may need to evolve your business structure to meet its requirements.

Compare the income thresholds, work restrictions, and visa durations of your short list to find the right fit.

If your business is still a work in progress, be aware that you may need to get your business off the ground for some months or years before you meet the income thresholds and become eligible.

Common qualifying income sources (depending on the visa) include:

Freelancing: including marketing or consulting services for beauty brands
Passive income: including dividends, royalties, and other passive earnings from a beauty brand
Remote employment: including hiring yourself as a W2 employee of your own business

The type of beauty business you start will influence how quickly you qualify. For example, if you have lots of experience in the industry and start freelance consulting for beauty brands, it’s possible to start earning income quickly.

However, if you are setting up a D2C cosmetics brand from scratch, it takes time to start generating profits to meet the income thresholds required for many digital nomad visas.

Finally, consider the long-term impact of your visa choice. Be aware that some visas offer a path to residency and/or citizenship, while others do not. If you want to leave the US permanently, you need to factor the duration of the visa into your decision.

Managing a beauty brand from abroad is not always easy, but ensuring you partner with a high-quality, reliable product manufacturer will help your business run as smoothly as possible.

At Innacos, we’re experts at manufacturing high-quality clean, vegan, cruelty-free, and sustainable color cosmetics and skin care.

Plus, we offer consulting services to small beauty businesses like yours! Learn more about our manufacturing services here and our consulting services here on our website.

Choosing Potential Countries While Planning Your Business

Now that we have discussed the importance of comparing countries that offer a digital nomad visa and finding the right fit for your lifestyle, future goals, and beauty business, let’s explore some of your potential options:

Uruguay: Best For Ease Of Access/Path To Citizenship

Uruguay offers one of the most attractive digital nomad visas in South America: the ‘Independent Means Visa’.

Benefits: This visa is relatively affordable, it’s possible to reach the income threshold in multiple ways, and there is a clear path to permanent residence and citizenship.

Requirements: As IMIDaily outlines, you must demonstrate independent income streams of at least $1,500 per month.

Permanent residence is available once you prove you meet the income threshold across a 6-12 month period, after which there is a path to citizenship 3-5 years later (depending on your marital status).

Portugal: Best For Businesses Earning Passive Income

Portugal is one of the most popular destinations for digital nomads under the ‘D7 visa’.

Benefits: This is the ideal visa if your business earns passive income. The visa length ranges from a generous 2 - 5 years and there’s a straightforward path to residency and citizenship.

Requirements: As outlined by AIS Services, US citizens must stay in Portugal for at least 183 consecutive days per year.

To qualify, you must earn at least the Portuguese minimum wage in passive income (this is currently €9,870 per year). More income is required for a dependent spouse and/or children.

For a beauty business, passive income could include dividends from your company, royalties, or intellectual property.

Pensions, rental properties, dividends from investments, and savings account interest also count as passive income under this visa.

Greece: Best For Freelancers

A dream vacation destination for many, Greece also offers a digital nomad visa for US citizens.

As Work From Greece explains, it’s a year-long remote work visa, after which you can apply for a Digital Nomad Residence Permit to stay longer.

Benefits: A relatively flexible visa as long as you work for a non-Greek company. Freelancers, business owners, and employees of non-Greek remote beauty businesses qualify.

Requirements: To qualify, you need to prove that you have sufficient resources for the length of your stay, or a salary of at least €3,500 per month as a remote worker (after taxes) (plus more if you have a spouse and/or children).

South Korea: Best For Families

Digital nomad visas are not exclusive to South America and Europe. Why not explore your options in Asia? For example, South Korea offers the F-1-D ‘Workcation’ visa.

Benefits: A great option for those with a family. Unlike many other countries, your family can qualify under your visa, too.

Requirements: Visit Korea explains that to qualify, you must:

Have a remote W-2 job (your business can hire you for this purpose)
Earn more than twice the average gross national income in South Korea
Be 18 or older
Have worked in your industry for at least a year
Subscribe to a set medical insurance package

The visa is a one-to-two-year temporary visa only. There is no path to residency or citizenship via this visa. Freelancers are not eligible - you must be hired by or affiliated with a non-Korean business organization.

Japan: Best For A Short Term Change

One of the most popular tourist destinations in Asia, Japan also offers a digital nomad visa that is quite similar to South Korea’s.

Benefits: This visa is ideal for a short-term adventure. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan explains that Japan’s Digital Nomad visa lasts for 6 months and can only be used once.

It’s not a good option if you are hoping to move, but it’s great for a short-term change of scenery with plans to return to the US or move elsewhere afterward.

Requirements: Like in South Korea, US citizens need a W-2 remote job to qualify (your business can hire you for this purpose). Your annual income must be 10 million Japanese Yen or more (roughly $66,875).

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How To Set Up & Run A Beauty Business While Living Abroad

Once you have narrowed down a list of potential countries, it’s time to start getting your business up to speed with the visa requirements and ensure it is fully prepared for your move.

You may need to increase your profitability to meet income thresholds, take steps to become a remote-ready organization, and handle all the required paperwork.

Here’s what you need to consider before making your move:

Business structure:

Each country has different requirements for digital nomads. Ask yourself the following:

Do you need to be registered as an LLC in the US?
Are freelancers accepted?
Do you need to be a W2 employee?
Should your business be restructured to comply with the rules of the visa?

Taxes:

Taxes can become (even more) complex when running a business from abroad.

Consult with a professional before making the move to ensure you are legally compliant and to avoid overpaying taxes.

Consider the following:

Does the country have a tax agreement with the US? What does it entail?
Are there any tax breaks for digital nomads?
Do you need to pay tax in both the US and the country of your digital nomad visa?

Manufacturing, Fulfillment, and Logistics:

For e-commerce beauty brands, your fulfillment and logistics setup should be optimized before you make the move.

Important considerations include:

Is there a strong quality control process in place to check for product or packaging issues?
Is your 3PL reliable and quick to fulfill orders for your customers?

Managing Your Team Remotely:

Adjusting to a fully remote managerial style in a different time zone can be a bumpy process. Consider the following to make the transition easier:

Have you delegated key in-person tasks to a trusted team member?
Do you need to put systems in place to handle team management, client onboarding, and day-to-day operations?
What work hours make the most sense to ensure your business continues as normal?

In sum, starting a beauty business under a digital nomad visa involves:

Understanding your visa options and ensuring your business grows and is set up in a way that complies with your top 5 list
Applying for a visa by submitting all of the relevant documentation and proof of income
Carefully considering how a move could impact your business structure, taxes, manufacturing logistics, and team management, and taking steps to ensure a smoother transition

Starting a business and moving abroad is a lot to handle, but finding high-quality, clean, vegan, and cruelty-free products doesn’t have to be.

Looking for a new skincare or color cosmetics manufacturer?

Innacos is here to help! Learn more about our bulk, private label, custom product creation, and custom formulating services by calling: (812) 329-1105 or emailing: customerservice@innacos.com

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Starting A Beauty Business For A Digital Nomad Visa [Ultimate Guide]